Cameras flashed and cheers rang out as the three members of Wong Fu Productions took the stage Saturday afternoon in the Louis Room of Norris University Center.
Philip Wang, Wesley Chan and Ted Fu, not much older than the crowd of more than 200 students before them, spoke about their experiences as Asian-American college students and how they managed to create and sustain their independent production company.
The three University of California, San Diego alumni presented one of the most anticipated workshops of the Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association Midwest Conference held at Northwestern this past weekend, said Chiana Hung, the conference’s co-programming director.
“On some level, we’re in the same boat as you,” Wang said. “We’re trying to have a positive influence.”
The three members of Wong Fu met and founded their production company when they were seniors at San Diego.
“I started out as an electrical engineer,” Fu said to the laughing audience. “Later on, I transferred into visual arts because I really got into computer animation and I loved it.”
The conference included a series of mini-workshops, ranging from political discussions and guest lecturers to arts and entertainment speakers and figures like the founders of Wong Fu Productions. The conference coordinators designed the workshops, which took place during the first segment of the conference, to help students learn more about their identities as Taiwanese-Americans.
Following the workshops, students focused on contributing to the Taiwanese-American community and networking with other members, said Kim Chiang, a conference co-chairwoman.
“We wanted to have a really multifaceted conference,” said Chiang, a Weinberg senior. “We were thinking of which speakers would draw the most people… (Speakers) who are thriving in the Taiwanese communities in different areas.”
The three-day event began late Friday evening with a Taiwanese night market in Parkes Hall and ended early Sunday morning with check-out in the Multicultural Center. A record 220 high school, undergraduate and graduate students registered for the event, the largest number yet to attend the conference.
“I think it’s just cool seeing that there are so many people interested in this and passionate about being Taiwanese-American and how they can contribute to the community (by) being more aware, spreading more awareness and really helping Taiwanese-Americans really get into the real world,” said Hung, a McCormick junior.
To accommodate the large number of attendees and last-minute registrants, Chiang decided to close registration at midnight Friday. Though called a “Midwest” conference, many of the students came from schools all over the nation, she said. NU last hosted the Midwest conference three years ago.
“I like meeting new people from other schools with different perspectives,” said Hui Hung, a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame. While Notre Dame does not have a Taiwanese club, Hung is a member of the Chinese Culture Society.
The 12 core members of the NU’s Conference Team began planning for the event last spring when they submitted a proposal to be this year’s host, Chiang said.
“We just want to educate people and students about Taiwanese-American awareness and our culture,” Chiana Hung said. “So much is changing with Asian-American culture. We’re no longer just people who work on this one (low) level. There’s people like John Chiang who’s working in a huge public office.”
Keynote speaker John Chiang, California’s state controller, spoke to students about his role as a prominent Asian-American in U.S. politics. Raised on the South Side of Chicago and now a high-ranking politician, Chiang serves as a role model for many Taiwanese-Americans, Chiana Hung said.
“Many of you are in the boat that I was in two decades ago,” Chiang said to the attendees. “I hope all of you will aspire to do great things… Identify what your passions are; identify what your interests are.”
